Writings

Did you know that I don’t just write on this blog? No, it’s true, I write all kinds of things. It’s mostly for work, but you get the picture. That stuff though, yeah, you’re not going to be interested in reading any of that. Well, not unless you’re weirdly interested in mixed-use office buildings and the like?

But maybe I can interest you in some of this stuff instead? It’s along the lines of what you’ll find in my blog, so if you like that, you’ll probably like this. I don’t have a whole lot here yet. But I have plenty in the works, so watch this space!

Books

Essays from the Crossroads: 2016 Collection

Essays From The Crossroads is a collection of essays on various aspects of witchcraft by the author of the Seo Helrune blog. Thematically arranged, these essays collectively lay the groundwork for a way of seeing the world and witchcraft that is rooted in history and tradition. Tackling everything from local spirits and elves, to necromancy and spun fate, this collection is a toolkit for those who like to make their own way through the wilds. “This is all the awesome. I want to buy this thing; basically, take my money.” –Morgan Daimler, author of Fairy Witchcraft

Research Papers

From Fairytale To Goddess: Frau Holle And The Scholars That Try To Reveal Her Origins

The German folkloric personage of Frau Holle has always been subject to controversy, both in the past and in the present day. The question of whether or not she is the survival of a Heathen goddess or a wild numen of later folklore rages on among scholars and Heathens alike. This is not a paper that sets out to answer this question though. Instead, this paper focuses on prior research, examining the work of scholars and the pathways they tried to illuminate.

Out of the Waters Beneath the Tree: One Potential Origin for the Seiðrworker

This paper begins with a question: Was the practice of Seiðr restricted to Viking Age Scandinavia? While the answer may seem clear cut to many, there is far from universal agreement on this issue. Scholars such as Lotte Hedeager and Leszek S?upecki have called into question both a Viking Age origin for the practice, and limitation to Scandinavia.

This paper examines this question from the perspective that Seiðr was originally a spun form of magic. From there, I look for an underlying worldview that could explain a cultural association between spinning and magic.

The Old Norse sources inform us that it was Freyja who taught the art of Seiðr to the Aesir. In this paper, I present evidence for an entire grouping of Indo-European goddesses connected with spinning, childbirth, death, and magic. Finally, I argue that Seiðr was originally the remnants of earlier cultic practices to a goddess.